OLYMPIA — Surrounded by hundreds of cheering supporters at the Capitol steps, Washington Rep. Matt Shea Friday vowed to stand up for the Second Amendment and railed against accusations that he participated in domestic terrorism against the United States.
Shea’s appearance comes amid heightened tensions as House Democrats consider whether to hold hearings to expel him from the Legislature.
The lawmaker often speaks at the annual gun-rights rally. But this year, Shea’s declaration to fight the allegations against him — outlined in a House-commissioned investigation released last month — prompted a display of loyalty to the Spokane Valley Republican and his call to fight for liberty.
But the moment also highlighted the intense anger among some over Shea’s situation.
The Washington State Patrol confirmed Friday it was investigating online threats against House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox, of Yelm, who suspended Shea from the GOP caucus.
The House investigation concluded Shea participated in and planned domestic terrorism with his involvement in three standoffs against the government, including the one at Eastern Oregon’s Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. That report has been forwarded to the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In the wake of that report, Wilcox suspended Shea, which resulted in the lawmaker losing his committee assignments. Wilcox also called on him to resign.
Shea has said the report’s findings and allegations are false and slammed the investigation as a “Marxist smear campaign.”
On Friday, Shea told about 500 people gathered for the gun-rights rally that the government has neglected to investigate America’s “real enemies,” anti-fascist groups.
“The real enemies of this country aren’t being investigated, the real enemies of this country aren’t being looked into, the real enemies of this country aren’t being reported on by the media,” said Shea, to cheers.
“The real enemies of this country want to destroy the Constitution, they want to destroy everything we believe in,” continued Shea, who added that he served tours of duty overseas in the military. “And I came back and this is a new battlefield for us, isn’t it?”
Friday afternoon, the Washington State Patrol confirmed it was investigating alleged violent threats made on a Facebook post that discussed Wilcox and the rally.
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